João Baptista de Oliveira Figueiredo

João Baptista de Oliveira Figueiredo (January 15, 1918–December 24, 1999) was a Brazilian military leader and politician. He was chief of the Secret Service (SNI) during the term of his predecessor Ernesto Geisel. Figueiredo was elected president of Brazil and took the oath of office on March 15, 1979, serving until March 15 1985. He continued the democratization that Geisel started and decreted amnesty. Facing a severe economic crisis, Figueiredo became increasingly unpopular. He suffered a heart attack in 1981. Since 1964, Brazilians had not been allowed to vote for president and by 1983 they began to protest to the return of the democracy. Figueiredo was against this desire and in 1984 the Congress rejected the return of direct elections. But the opposition, headed by Tancredo Neves, won the election for president in the Congress. Figueiredo retired after the end of his term and died in 1999.

Related Topics:
January 15 - 1918 - December 24 - 1999 - Brazilian - Ernesto Geisel - Brazil - March 15 - 1979 - 1985 - 1981 - 1964 - 1983 - 1984 - Tancredo Neves

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